Method for contacting partially conductive textile materials

ABSTRACT

A method for electrically connecting conductive thread ( 40 ) at any number of termination locations of a textile material ( 5 ) with an termination element preferably formed in a circuit board with the following steps being provided: placing the circuit board in a respectively formed recess of a support plate of a tool with the termination locations ( 122 ) of the circuit board ( 12 ) facing upwardly; arranging the material ( 5 ) on the circuit board ( 12 ) such that in the area of the termination locations of the circuit board ( 12 ) a termination location of the material ( 5 ) which is to be connected is being placed. Fixedly mounting, preferably by clamping the material adjacent to and on a side of the termination locations of the circuit board, preferably stretching the material ( 5 ) in longitudinal direction wherein the direction of the extension of the conductive threads. Fixedly clamping the material in an area opposite to the first clamping area and adjacent to the desired termination location. Soldering the blank conductive threads ( 40 ) to the termination locations of the circuit board ( 12 ).

The invention relates to a method for contacting partially conductive textile materials. The invention also relates to a connector for connecting the electrically conducting threads of the material.

Partially conductive textile material comprises of generally non-conductive textile threads which extend in a longitudinal direction and in a vertical or transversal direction, with said material also having electrically conducting threads (threads/wires) which generally extend in a horizontal direction between the textile threads.

Due to the structure of the textile material the distances or spacing between the conductive threads (threads/wires) are not perfectly (100%) defined.

It is already known to make the conductive threads at an end of the textile material manually accessible, so as to connect a termination element by means of soldering at the ends of the exposed conductive threads (threads/wires). This method requires an excessive effort and does not lead to a precise alignment with which are typically provided on a termination element.

Attention is drawn to DE 101 61 527 A1 which discloses a design and connecting technique for textile structures. According to one embodiment textile material is used in which pluralities of electric conductors are woven into, wherein each conductor comprises a plurality of electrically conducting threads. So as to electrically connect the conductors located within the textile material with the contact points of an electronic component, the textile material is initially positioned relative to the conductors, such that the conductors are located immediately adjacent to the contact points of the electronic component. For this purpose adjustment means can be provided in the textile material. The conductors which are in abutment with the contact points after the positioning step need to be pressed. The pressing step of the conductors at the contacting points has to be carried out such that the molten insulation of the electrically conductive threads (threads/wires) as well as electrically insulating material, which may be present, is pushed away. For another embodiment an electronic component is not immediately connected with the electric conductors, but for instance by means of a flexible circuit board on which copper paths or traces are provided. In an area where the conductors extend over the conductor path the non-conductive threads can be removed so as to get better access to the electrically conducting threads to obtain a better electrical contact.

The present invention intends to provide a method by means of which partially conductive textile materials, preferably materials which are elastic in longitudinal direction, can be contacted precisely and at low cost. The contacting should be preferably carried out at any termination location or contact region of the textile material without damaging the material.

The invention further provides for a termination element, in particular for partially conductive materials, and for a connector for partially conductive textile materials.

In accordance with the invention it is suggested for contacting (terminating) partially conductive textile material to stretch (tension) and clamp the material adjacent to a desired location of termination contact region and to subsequently tension the material, or in the case of an elastic material to elongate the material. In case the material is of a strip like design, then the tensioning or elongating of the material occurring such, that in the conductive wires/threads (conductive threads) are aligned Following the stretching and elongating, respectively, of the conductive textile material the textile (non-conductive) threads extending in the preferably stretched and elongated condition transversely are cut or severed. Thereupon the area or region of stretching and elongating respectively is heated. Thereupon, a step of blowing away the heated textile fiber is provided, such that the conductive threads/wires are exposed in the stretched area and area of elongation.

By suitably selecting the temperature of soldering, the step of a separate heating and blowing away can be omitted and the heat of the soldering operation can be used to have the conductive threads in an exposed condition. Due to the basis of the elongated and stretched region of the textile material, threads will withdraw the moment of the thermal melting and the irritated threads removed will expose the area of contact (contacting region).

At the time the threads extending transversely to the longitudinal direction of the material are cut preferably by means of teeth which arranged in a parallel transverse direction, a stretching in parallel of the conductive threads/wires (conductive threads) occurs. Due to the tension created by the spreading in the textile material also a uniform spacing of the conductive threads/wires (conductive threads) occurs.

The invention further relates to a termination element in the form of a printed circuit board on which spaced conductive paths or traces are placed. The conductive traces have greater width in the contact region of the conductive threads/wires.

Further, the invention provides for a connector which is adapted to receive said termination element; said connector receives in a connector space a portion of the termination element with the conductive threads/wires.

Further advantages, objects and details of the invention can be found in the description of the embodiments referring to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a part of a partially conductive textile material with a connector mounted thereto;

FIG. 2 is a sided elevational view of the material with a connector mounted thereto in accordance with FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view along line 3-3 shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view similar to FIG. 1 with the cover of the connector removed;

FIG. 5 shows a detail of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the printed circuit board (termination element) as it is used for instance in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of a partially conductive textile material with a contact region with width B in which the conductive threads/wires are made freely accessible, across the width of the partially conductive textile material;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view along line 8-8 shown in FIG. 7;

FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 illustrates the method steps when working on the partially conductive textile material; wherein

FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view of the material in substance along line 9-9 shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 discloses that by means of a plurality of teeth arranged in a row the textile material is to be cut apart adjacent to the conductive threads/wires;

FIG. 11 shows textile material after being cut.

FIG. 12 is a top plan view of a tool, according to the invention for carrying out the inventive method.

FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 disclose a connector designed in accordance with the invention. The connector 1 comprises a housing 10 and a termination element in form of a printed circuit board 12. The connector 1 is adapted to contact a partially conductive textile material (called material in the following discussion) 5. The material 5 is preferably provided in the form of a strip. The material is comprised of conductive and possibly non-conductive threads which extend in the longitudinal direction, and it further comprises non-conductive threads, which extend in transverse direction. Moreover the material 5 is preferably elastic in the longitudinal direction.

The housing 10 comprises a lower part 14 and an upper part or cover 16 with the lower part 14 being adapted to receive the printed circuit board 12. At the lower part 14 locking noses 17 are provided which can lockingly engage receiving slots 18 of the cover 16.

The lower part 14 form the recess 19 adapted to receive the printing circuit board 12. Further, the lower part 14 forms the support surfaces 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24 for the circuit board.

The lower part 14 provides teeth 26, which cooperate with teeth 34, provided at the cover 16; said teeth 34 extend into an entrance opening for the material 5. Moreover, teeth 33 are provided in the cover 16 which extend inwardly adjacent to a support surface 29 at an exit opening of the connector 1. Teeth 33 similar to teeth 24 and 34 penetrate into the material 5 and hold it in place.

FIG. 5 discloses a contact region with width B within which the conductive threads/wires 40 are accessible.

FIG. 6 discloses a printed circuit board (termination element) 12. The printed circuit board 12 comprises an insulation plate 120 on which, in this case, four conductive traces 121 are provided which widen towards the four connecting tabs 122 to be connected to the material 5.

The partially conductive textile material 5 is preferably in the form of a strip as shown in FIG. 7 in a top plan view and in a sectional view along line 9-9 from FIG. 7, as shown in FIG. 9. The conductive threads/wires 40 extend in the material 5 in longitudinal direction and made as shown threads 43 weave around said conductive threads/wires 40 in the transverse direction.

The conductive threads/wires 40 comprise preferably an inner thread 41 with a conductor 42 being wound spirally around the inner thread 41. Preferably the inner thread 41 is elastic and not conductive and is comprised of a plastic material. The conducting thread/wires 40 consist of metal, for instance copper and are wound on the inner thread 41.

FIGS. 9 through 11 disclose the steps of the method of the invention. FIG. 12 discloses a tool 50 comprising a support plate 51 having a receiving groove 52 extending in longitudinal direction. Transverse to the receiving groove 52 extends a transverse recess 53. Clamping members 54, 55 having clamp means (chucks) 56, 57 which are offset with respect to each other in longitudinal direction are adapted to fixedly clamp to the material 5. The receiving groove 52 is widened in the area of the transverse recess 53 as to provide for the receipt of the widened portion of the circuit board 12. For contacting the material 5, i.e. for mounting the circuit board 12 at the conductive thread/wires 40 of the material 5, the circuit board 12 is placed in the areas or sections formed by the receiving groove 52 corresponding to the sections 127, 125 and 126 of the circuit board 12. Subsequently, the end of the material 5 to be contacted is placed at a location where the plug area 127 of the circuit board 12 ends and is clamped by means of the clamping member 54, i.e. the end of the material 5 is pressed downward onto the circuit board 12.

Subsequently the elastic material 5 is stretched preferably in the direction of the arrow 60. Then the stretched material is fixedly clamped in the longitude condition as is shown in FIG. 12 by means of the clamping member 55 (in the case the material is not elastic, than it will simply be taut). In the condition in which the material 5 is stretched and fixedly clamped the contact region width B, shown in FIGS. 4 and 12 is not yet present; this contact region with width B is created in a later step of the method.

In the case a section through the material 5 in the area of the transverse recess 53 with the material 5 stretched or taut, respectively condition of the material 5, than this section would correspond in substance to the representation of FIG. 9.

The next method step is preferably the method step shown in FIG. 10. In which a plurality of teeth of a tool (tool not shown in FIG. 10 is lowered and the material 5 will be pierced and stretched parallel to the conductive thread/wires 40, such that the contact region with width B is opened up. The tension caused in the textile material 5 during stretching creates uniform spacing of the conductive thread/wires 40.

FIG. 11 shows the material 5 following the separation or piercing step.

The next step involves the heating of the material in the contact region with width B such that the transverse threads 43 can be removed, following a sufficient degree of heating, by a blowing action so in the contacting region with width B the condition shown in FIGS. 7, 8 and 12 is arrived at. In this condition the conductive threads/wires 40 are exposed and are arranged in the area of the connecting tabs 122 of the circuit board 12. Subsequently the individual conductive threads/wires 40 are soldered to the connecting tabs 122, i.e. as shows the spiral shaped conductor 42 soldered to the connecting tabs 122.

Following the soldering step, the material 5 can be inserted with the circuit board 12, which is soldered to the material 5, in the lower part 14 of the connector. Circuit board 12 and material 5 fits into the recess 18 of the lower portion 14. Thereupon, the circuit board 12 and the cover 16 are fixed.

Alternatively, the recess in the tool 50, FIG. 12 can be designed such, that the lower part 14 of the connector can be placed in the tool 50 with the circuit board 12 and subsequently the method steps as described above can be carried out. 

1. A method for electrically connecting conductive threads/wires (40) of the textile material with a plurality of connecting tabs of a termination element (12), preferably a printed circuit board, wherein the following steps are provided;
 1. placing the circuit board (12) in a correspondingly formed recess of a support plate (51) of a tool (50) with the connecting tabs (122) of the circuit board (12) facing upward;
 2. placing the material (5) on the circuit board (12), such that a contact region of the material (5) which is to be connected to the circuit board is located in the area of the connecting tabs (122) of the circuit board (12);
 3. fixing the material, preferably by clamping, adjacent to and on one side of the connecting tabs of the circuit board;
 4. preferably stretching the material (5) in one of a longitudinal direction and direction of the conductive threads;
 5. clamping the material in an area opposite to the first clamping area and adjacent to the connecting tabs; and
 6. soldering the exposed conductive threads/wires (40) with the connecting tabs of the circuit board (12).
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein between the method steps 5 and 6 a method step for heating and blowing is provided.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the textile material is adapted to be elastically elongated in a longitudinal direction.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the conductive threads (40) preferably comprise a non-conductive inner thread (41) with a conductor (42) wound spirally around the inner thread (41).
 5. A connector for textile materials having conductive threads, which preferably extend in a longitudinal direction, that connector comprising: a housing (10), and a termination element in the form of a circuit board (12); wherein said housing (10) comprises a lower part and a upper part, said lower part being adapted to be mounted to said upper part (16), and wherein a recess (19) is formed in the lower part (14) adapted receive the circuit board (12).
 6. The connector of claim 5, wherein the lower part forming the recess (19) comprises the support surfaces (20, 21, 22, 23, 24) for the circuit board (12).
 7. The connector of claim 5, wherein teeth (26) are formed in the lower is part (14) which are adapted to cooperate with teeth (34) formed in the upper part.
 8. The connector of claim 5, wherein in the circuit board circuit traces (121) are formed which widen in the area of the contact or connecting tabs (122) for the material.
 9. A tool (50) for the connecting of electrical conductors in a textile material to a circuit board, said tool comprising a support plate (51) and a receiving groove (52) adapted to receive the textile material as well as the circuit board, wherein a transverse recess (53) provided which extends in a direction transverse with respect to the receiving groove (52).
 10. The tool of claim 9, wherein the receiving groove (52) is widened in the area of the transverse recess (53) so as to be adapted to receive a widened portion of the circuit board (12).
 11. The tool of claim 9, wherein on the support plate (51) a clamping member (54, 55) are provided which are offset in the longitudinal direction and are adapted to fixedly clamp the material (5).
 12. The tool of claim 9, characterized in that the receiving groove (52) is formed in the area of the transverse recess (53), such that a connector with a respective opposite contour can be received. 